Chapter 12

Baek's POV

My heart clutches tight and bitterly as I watch her battle for her life. I am the god of death. I see things like this all the time and never felt a single emotion for any of my victims. But for Hera, I feel tears clog my guts. An emotion so strong and overbearing. Something I had never felt for any living thing my entire life.

I stare into her dying eyes and form a portal with my other hand. I am not ready to let this being die just yet and live with the guilt for the rest of my existence but this is what I am destined to do. I slowly pull her soul out as she takes her last breath. I stare at her lifeless body and realize how emotionally attached I am to her. I will not let her die.

I fling my hand, sending her soul into limbo. Thereby, revoking destiny. Time begins to change in a reverse style. In the blink of an eye, the environment changes. I am no longer in the bus but in a hospital together with the rest of the students.

I am surprised to see the entire victims alive and barely even injured. I had only saved and sent Hera's soul to limbo. No other person should be alive besides her. None of the students recognize my face, thankfully.

I rush to find Hera and meet her sitting on a bench in front of a ward. There is a bandage wrapped around her head. She is Injured on her left leg too.

I sigh in relief to see her alive and advance towards her. "Hera. Thank goodness you're okay…"

The reception I get from her is shocking. She gets up from the bench and backs away from her. There is fear in her eyes.

"You." She points at me with shaky fingers. Her face pales as if she has just seen a ghost. "You. I saw you. It was you!"

I am confused and try to move closer to her but she holds out a hand and backs farther away.

"Don't come close to me. Just don't" She looks like she would be in tears any moment from now.

"Why?"

"I saw you. You…you are the grim reaper."

It is my turn to pale at her revelation. This cannot be true. There is no way a human remembers my face. There is no way Hera remembers what happened when everyone else doesn't.

She turns her back against me and hurries away. She is scared and wary of me. I am feared by the person I saved.

Overwhelmed by all that is happening, I leave the hospital, teleporting once I am sure no one else can see me.

I appear in the middle of a foggy forest with a large castle behind it. I walk through the dark entrance of the large gates, the crunches of dry leaves noisy underneath my feets. I breathe in the smell of damp woods, the cold atmosphere and the dry, dying grass beneath my feets. This world is empty unlike the human world. As I approach the large entrance door of the castle, it opens automatically and I enter through the door, hearing it shut behind me again.

I take off the jacket I am hearing and hang it over the bold black couch in the living area. The interior of the castle is exquisite and antique and the furniture is mostly black. I pause as I perceive something cooking in the kitchen. I haven't been home for the past three days now and no one else has access to my place.

I teleport from the living room to the kitchen to see my mother backing me and cooking.

"Why are you back?" She uses her supernatural power to add some parsley over the food she has made.

"Mother."

She turns to face me and I bow. She sighs. There is dread in her eyes. Knowing the kind of person my mother is, I am sure she has already heard the news that I had saved a human girl. That is definitely the main reason she had visited.

"Do you realize what you have just done?"

I lower my gaze. "It just happened."

She scoffs. "You are the grim reaper. You are the god of death and do you know what a god of death does? They take life when it's the right time. It is what you were created for."

I remain silent as she speaks. You dare not interrupt my mother when she speaks.

"A grim reaper does not feel.You think you saved the lives of those by sending their souls into limbo?" She scoffs. "Actually, you put their lives at more risk. The god of damnation will take their lives one by one in any way he can. They were not destined to live past their time and thanks to you, they just did."

"Mother, I…" I try to explain but she cuts me off.

"You have ninety nine days left, Baek. Turn back the hands of the clock and complete your mission. If you fail to do so, your existence will be wiped off and you shall be replaced by another deity. The lives of those you've saved will still be taken, this time in a cruel manner. Correct your mistake, Baek."

She sighs. It's obvious she is outweighed by the things I have done. "Join me in the dining room after taking a shower. You smell like a human."

She takes the food with her to the dining room.

I teleport from the kitchen to the bathroom and as I take my bath, my mind keeps traveling to Hera. I wonder if I would have still saved her life if I knew I would only put her in more danger. I have made the mistake of getting too close to this human girl and because of that, I have put other people in danger and now, she knows my true identity. What if she goes telling everyone? No one would believe her and think she's delusional. But still, I cannot even risk that.

After I am done taking my bath, I head to join my mother in the dining room. She raises her head from her meal and gives me a smile.

"Looking much better. Come sit."

I obey and sit beside her. She serves me my own portion of the food and we eat together in the dining table. I cannot remember the last time I had a proper dinner with my mother this way.

She is the goddess of life and I am the god of death. Light and darkness don't walk together. Or eat together.

"You like her don't you?" She questions me after a moment of silence.

"I don't."

Or do I?

"So, what stopped you from doing the right thing?"

I pause. I do not have the answer to that. I am just as equally confused about my actions just like she is.

"You know, we are Immortals. We don't get emotionally attached to mortals. They are destined to die. We are not. I have watched thousands of generations come and go and I have never seen a god and a human end up together. There are so many goddesses here and you are a god. You can pick anyone you desire. The goddess of wealth is the prettiest. She likes you." My mother briefs me.

"Mother. Come on." I am getting tired of our conversation.

"The girl you saved is only human, Baek. She is weak. You are a god. The both of you have nothing in common. Do what you know is right. If you truly care about her, put her out of the misery you have caused for her."

I nod my head in agreement.

"I will, mother."

"Good." She gives me a small smile and continues to eat.

I must correct my mistakes to save myself and Hera from getting hurt by Jimin, the god of damnation.